Chapter 4: The Man Outside the Window
Arthur grabbed Lily before she could move.
“Daddy!””
“Stay behind me.””
The house was completely dark.
The broken window upstairs let cold air rush through the hallway, carrying the smell of rain and wet earth into the room.
Detective Collins immediately drew her weapon.
“Everybody stay where you are!””
An officer switched on a flashlight.
Its beam swept across the walls, the staircase, the dining room.
Nothing.
Then came a soft sound from upstairs.
A floorboard creaked.
Arthur tightened his arms around Lily.
“Someone’s in the house.””
Daniel Mercer was already moving toward the stairs.
Detective Collins blocked him.
“Where are you going?””
“To the second floor.””
“No. You stay here.””
“That window was the warning.””
Arthur stared at him.
“What warning?””
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
“When I arrived, the front gate was open.””
Arthur frowned.
“I locked it.””
“I know.””
“How?””
“Because I checked the property before I came.””
Detective Collins looked at Daniel.
“When?””
“About twenty minutes ago.””
Arthur’s heart hammered.
“You were already here?””
“I came to make sure the house was secure before I came to the door.””
“Then how did someone get inside?””
Daniel pointed toward the broken window upstairs.
“Because someone was already watching you.””
A crash came from above.
Lily buried her face against Arthur’s chest.
Detective Collins motioned to her officers.
“Upstairs. Now.””
Two officers moved quickly toward the staircase.
Arthur followed instinctively.
“Mr. Hayes, stay here,” the detective ordered.
“That’s my daughter.””
“And I need you alive to protect her.””
Arthur stopped.
He hated that she was right.
Another crash.
Then a man's voice floated down the staircase.
“Arthur!””
Arthur froze.
The voice was deep.
Calm.
Almost familiar.
“Who is that?”” he whispered.
Daniel’s face changed.
“Don’t answer.””
The voice came again.
“You should have listened to your wife.””
Victoria began trembling.
Arthur turned toward her.
“You know that voice?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
But Daniel answered for her.
“I do.””
Arthur looked at him.
“Who?””
Daniel stared toward the staircase.
“Thomas.””
Arthur frowned.
“Who’s Thomas?””
Victoria whispered, “Don’t.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“You should have told him years ago.””
“Daniel, please.””
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“Who is Thomas?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Thomas Reed.””
The name meant nothing to Arthur.
But Victoria looked like she had seen a ghost.
Arthur noticed.
“Who is he?””
Victoria swallowed.
“He was your father’s driver.””
Arthur shook his head.
“My father’s driver died six years ago.””
Daniel’s expression was grim.
“No.””
“He died in a car accident.””
“That’s what the family was told.””
Arthur stared at him.
“What are you saying?””
Before Daniel could answer, the upstairs hallway filled with footsteps.
The officers shouted.
“Police! Stop where you are!””
A door slammed.
Then silence.
Detective Collins motioned to Arthur.
“Stay here.””
She rushed upstairs.
Arthur could hear boots striking the floor.
A sharp command.
Then a gunshot.
Lily screamed.
Arthur instinctively moved toward the stairs.
Daniel grabbed his shoulder.
“Don’t!””
“That was a gunshot!””
“They may be trying to push you upstairs.””
“What?””
Daniel's grip tightened.
“This is exactly what they want.””
Arthur looked toward Victoria.
She had backed against the wall.
Her whole body shook.
“You knew this would happen,” Arthur said.
“No.””
“You knew someone was coming.””
“I knew they might.””
“Might?””
Arthur stepped toward her.
“You knew they were watching our daughter.””
“I was trying to protect her.””
“You never told me.””
“I thought I could handle it.””
“You almost killed me!””
Victoria burst into tears.
“I didn't know how else to make them stop!””
Arthur stared at her.
“You could have told me.””
She shook her head.
“You don't understand who they are.””
“Then make me understand.””
Victoria wiped her face.
“They were after your father’s money first.””
Arthur frowned.
“And then?””
“They discovered you had inherited everything.””
“But why Lily?””
Victoria looked toward the stairs.
“Because your father left something behind.””
Arthur’s expression hardened.
“What?””
“A key.””
“To what?””
“I don't know.””
“Victoria.””
“I swear.””
“You're lying.””
“No.””
“You always say that.””
She looked at him through tears.
“Because every time I told you the truth, someone got closer to us.””
Arthur said nothing.
Victoria continued.
“Your father had a private vault.””
Arthur blinked.
“A vault?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
“Then how do you know it exists?””
“Because Thomas told me.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
Arthur turned to him.
“You knew about this?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your father trusted me with the location.””
Arthur stared.
“And you never told me?””
“Your father ordered me not to.””
“You followed that order for eight years?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew someone was looking for what was inside.””
Arthur’s mind raced.
“What’s inside?””
Daniel looked toward Victoria.
“That’s what they believe she knows.””
Victoria whispered, “I don't.””
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“You know enough.””
A heavy thud came from upstairs.
Then Detective Collins yelled.
“Move!””
A shadow appeared at the top of the staircase.
A man stepped into the flashlight beam.
Arthur saw only half his face.
Gray hair.
Dark jacket.
A narrow scar running from his left temple to his cheek.
The man smiled.
“Arthur.””
Daniel immediately raised his weapon.
“Thomas.””
The man laughed.
“It’s been a long time.””
Arthur stared at him.
“You're dead.””
Thomas shrugged.
“People have been saying that for years.””
Detective Collins kept her weapon trained on him.
“Hands where I can see them.””
Thomas slowly raised both hands.
“You’re making a mistake, Detective.””
“Get on your knees.””
Thomas smiled.
“I came here to warn him.””
Arthur stepped forward.
“What do you want?””
Thomas looked directly at him.
“The same thing your father wanted.””
“What did my father want?””
Thomas's smile faded.
“For you to survive.””
Arthur's chest tightened.
“You broke into my house.””
“I needed you to listen.””
“You threatened my daughter.””
“I didn't send that message.””
Arthur froze.
Thomas looked at Lily.
“Someone else did.””
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Then who?””
Thomas didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Arthur.
“Your wife knows.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
Thomas smiled sadly.
“She knows exactly where the key is.””
Arthur turned toward Victoria.
“What key?””
She began crying.
“It’s gone.””
Thomas laughed.
“No.””
He pointed toward her purse.
“It’s still there.””
Everyone looked at Victoria’s purse.
Detective Collins reached for it.
Victoria grabbed it first.
“No!””
The officers immediately restrained her.
“Let go!””
Arthur watched as Detective Collins opened the purse.
She pulled out the white packet.
Then a wallet.
A lipstick.
A set of keys.
And finally—
A small brass key.
Arthur stared at it.
“That’s it?””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Yes.””
Thomas smiled.
“That opens the vault.””
Arthur looked at Victoria.
“You told me you didn't know where it was.””
“I didn't know it was still there.””
“You knew about the key.””
“Yes.””
“Why hide it?””
“Because your father told me never to give it to you.””
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“Of course.””
Thomas slowly descended one step.
“Arthur, listen to me.””
Detective Collins raised her gun.
“Stay where you are.””
Thomas stopped.
“Your father discovered who was stealing from him.””
Arthur’s face tightened.
“Victoria?””
Thomas shook his head.
“No.””
Arthur looked confused.
“Then who?””
Thomas looked at Daniel.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Don't.””
Thomas smiled.
“Daniel knows.””
Arthur's stomach dropped.
“You?””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
Thomas continued.
“Your father discovered millions missing from the trust. But the person taking the money wasn’t Victoria.””
Arthur looked at his wife.
Victoria silently shook her head.
“She was covering for someone.””
Arthur stared at her.
“Who?””
Victoria's lips trembled.
“I can't.””
“You've said that all night.””
Arthur took a step toward her.
“Who were you protecting?””
Victoria looked at Daniel.
Then Thomas.
Then Lily.
Finally, she whispered,
“Your brother.””
Arthur went completely still.
“My brother is dead.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“He died when he was nineteen.””
“No,” Victoria whispered again.
“He never died.””
The house fell silent.
Even Thomas stopped smiling.
Arthur looked at Daniel.
“Is she telling the truth?””
Daniel said nothing.
Arthur's voice rose.
“Is my brother alive?””
Daniel slowly lowered his weapon.
Then he whispered the words Arthur had spent twenty years believing impossible.
“His name is Michael.””
Arthur’s breathing stopped.
Because somewhere deep inside his childhood memories was a face he had almost forgotten.
A boy with the same eyes.
The same crooked smile.
A little brother who supposedly vanished in an accident.
Arthur looked toward the dark hallway.
And suddenly, from somewhere outside the house, a familiar voice called his name.
“Arthur?””
He knew that voice.
He had heard it in dreams.
A voice buried beneath twenty years of grief.
“Arthur…”
Lily grabbed his hand.
“Daddy?””
Arthur couldn’t move.
Then the front door slowly opened by itself.
And a man stepped into the light.
He looked exactly like the photograph Arthur had kept hidden in his childhood bedroom.
Older.
Scarred.
Alive.
Michael stared at him.
“I’m sorry, brother.””
May you like
Then he looked at Victoria.
“You were never the one they wanted dead.””
